According to the General Department of Customs, Vietnam imported over 1.32 million tons of cashew nuts worth nearly 2.1 billion USD during the first five months of this year. Although import volume rose only 9.1% compared to the same period last year, the value jumped by nearly 40%.

In contrast, cashew exports reached 1.88 billion USD, up 19.4% year-on-year. Despite this growth, the industry - once a strong export performer - has returned to a trade deficit.

The most striking development is the sharp increase in cashew imports from Cambodia.

In the past five months alone, Vietnamese firms imported nearly 873,200 tons of cashews from Cambodia, valued at approximately 1.32 billion USD. This represents a 15% rise in volume and a 36.2% increase in value over the same period in 2024.

Remarkably, the 1.32 billion USD in imports has already exceeded the full-year figure for 2024 (1.07 billion USD) and trails only behind 2021’s total (1.87 billion USD).

Currently, Cambodian cashews account for nearly 63% of Vietnam’s total cashew import value.

Speaking to VietNamNet, a cashew industry expert said Cambodia has become the world's second-largest raw cashew producer, with a total output of 850,000 tons in 2024.

The country is now in the midst of its harvest season, offering abundant supply. This has prompted Vietnamese enterprises to step up procurement efforts.

In recent years, over 90% of Cambodia’s raw cashew output has been exported to Vietnam.

According to the expert, Vietnamese firms favor Cambodian cashews due to significant logistics advantages. A shipment from Cambodia to Vietnam takes only one to two days, and transport costs are much lower than sea freight from other countries.

At the same time, Cambodian suppliers benefit from swift payments, often receiving funds within one to two days - facilitating a mutually beneficial trading relationship between the two nations’ businesses.

Tam An